Reclining article of furniture



Jan. 2, 1951 A. LORENZ 2,536,195

' I RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BYMZ HIS ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1951 A. LORENZ 2,536,195

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNI'ITURE Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fl/vra/v law/v;

HIS ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED s'rArE-s PATENT OFFICE RECLININGARTICLE F FURNITURE Anton Lorenz, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application November 8, 1946, Serial No. 708,519

'16 Claims.

The present invention relates to articles of furniture, and more particularly to a reclining article of furniture, wherein the seat andthe back-rest form movable links of a polygonal compound linkage including a sliding pair.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type, wherein the movable members of the article of furniture are very well balanced, so that an occupant resting in the article of furniture may bring the movable members of the article of furniture from one position into another position without great effort.

A further object of thepresent invention is to improve on reclining articles of furniture as now ordinaril made.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodiments of the same being described in the specification and being illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. l is aside elevational view of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention, a portion of a side frame of the support being bro-ken away,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 illustrating the locking device of the chair shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 illustrating the sliding pair of the chair shOWn in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a different embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of an adjustable reclinin chair according to the invention,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partl in section, of the arm-rest and the sliding pair of the chair shown in Fig. '7, in an enlarged scale,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a different embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, 20 generall indicates a support comprising two side frames 22 and'24 connected with each other by cross bars 26 an'd'28.

The lower end of a back-rest 30 is pivoted tothesupport 20 at 32. The rear portion of a seat 34 is pivoted to said support 20 at 36 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 32 between the backrest-'30 and the support 20. A leg-rest38 pivotally connected with'the front portion of the seat 34 at 8 has an upward extension 42 on each side of the chair. Accordingto the drawings, the upward extension 42 is integral with the leg-rest 38; however, the upward extension i2 and the leg-rest 38 could be made of separate elements rigidlyconnected with each other in any suitable manner. Each upward extension 42 projecting beyond the pivotal connection ii between the leg-rest 33 and the seat 34 represents afront link. The upper end portion of each front link is pivoted at M to the front portion'of a top link as representing the arm-rest of the chair. The rear portion of each'top link '45 .is pivotally connected with an intermediate point of the backrest 38 at 48.

Asbest shown in Figs. 1, 3 and' l, each top link 46 has a recess 59 including a sliding surface'52 for slidable and shiftable cooperation with the stationary cam-like portion 5 of the'support 20. Therecess 56 is arranged at an intermediate portion of the top link 46 between its Pivots 44 and 48.

The back-rest 351, the seat 34, thefront link 42 and the top link dfi'represent the movable membars or links of the polygonal compound linkage of the-chair including the sliding pair or shiftable connection 52, 5%. When theback-rest 3 0 is swung about its pivot 32 into the reclinedposition 39 shown in dash-and-dotlinesin Fig-Al, the seat 34 is swung upwardly into the position 34 shownin dash-and-dotlines, and the leg-rest 38 is brought into the 'dash-and-dot line position 38.

The sitting position of the movable .members of the chair shown in fulllines .is limitedby the cross bar 28 upon which the seat 34 comes to a rest. The extreme reclined position 30, 34, 38' of the movable members of the chair is limited by an abutment of the surface 56 (Fi 4)v of the recess 58 against the cam-like portion .54 of the support 253.

The movable members of the chair may be held a in any convenient position, for-example, the extreme reclined position or any intermediate reclined position bymeans of a locking device generally indicated by 58. As best shown in Figs. 1

and 2, said locking device 58 comprises a handle 60 screwed on the threaded end of the pivot 48 between the back-rest 30 and the top link 46. Said pivot 48 has a head 62 resting against a surface of the back-rest 36. A square portion 64 of the bolt 48 is engaged with a corresponding square aperture of the back-rest 30 whereby the pivot 48 is prevented from rotation. When the user of the chair loosens the locking handle 60, the surface of the hub 66 of said handle is disengaged from the surface of the top link 46, so that the movable members of the chair may be freely moved from one position into another one. When the locking handle 60 is tightened, the surface of the hub of the handle is pressed against the top link 46, whereby the latter is pressed against the back-rest 30 engaged with the head 62 of the pivot 48, so that the members of the chair are held in their position. Of course, any other locking device may be used instead of the locking device shown in the drawings.

According to the embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. 5, the support I20 comprises the members I2I and I23 rigidly connected with each other by screws I25 or the like. The lower end portion of the back-rest I30 is pivoted to the member I23 of the support I20 at I32. The rear portion of the seat I34 is pivoted to the member I2I of the support I20 at I36 at a point spaced from above-mentioned pivotal connections I32 between the back-rest I30 and the support I20. On each side of the chair, the lower end of a front link I 42 is pivoted to the seat I34 at I40. The upper end of the front link I42 is pivoted at I44 to a top link I46, the rear portion of which is pivotally connected at I48 with an intermediate point of the back-rest I30.

The top link I46 has a forward extension I68 projecting beyond its pivotal connection I44 with the front link I42. The forward extension I68 of each top link I46 has a slot I10 for slidable engagement with a stationary cam-like bolt I12 secured to the member I2I of the support I20 as best shown in Fig. 6. The slot I10 and the bolt I12 in cooperation represent the shiftable connection between the forward extension I68 of the top link I46 and the support I20.

When the user of the chair leans the weight of his body against the back-rest I30, the movable members of the chair may be readily swung from the sitting position shown in full lines into the reclined position shown in dash-and-dot lines. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair is limited by an abutment of the bolt I12 against the right-hand end I14 of the slot I18; the sitting position of the movable members of the chair is limited by an abutment of said bolt I12 against the left-hand end of the slot I10.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position by means of the locking device I58 arranged on the pivot I 48 in the manner described above in connection with Fig. 2.

The adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. '7 is equipped with a support 226 substantially of the same structural arrangement as the support I28 of the chair shown in Fig. 5.

According to Fig. '7, the back-rest 230 is pivoted to the support 220 at 232 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 236 between the seat 234 and the support 220. The front portion of the seat 234 is pivotally connected at 240 with a front link 242 rigidly connected with a leg-rest 238. The upper end portion of each front link is pivotally connected at 244 with the front portion of a top link 246, the rear portion of which is pivoted at 248 to an intermediate point of the back-rest 230.

An intermediate portion of the top link 246 is hollow and has an aperture 216 at its lower side as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9. A guiding means or guiding rod 218 arranged within said hollow portion of the top link 246 is rigidly secured to the latter by screws 280. A cylindrical slider 282 slidably engaged with said guiding rod 218 is swingably mounted at 284 on a fork-like end of the support 220. The slider 282 may swing about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of the guiding rod 218. The pivotal connection 284 between the slider 282 and the support 220 is spaced from the pivotal connections 232 and 236 between the support 220 and the back-rest 230 and the seat 234 respectively.

When the back-rest 230 is swung about its pivot 232 into the reclined position 230' shown in dashand-dot lines in Fig. 7, the seat 234 and the legrest 238 connected with said back-rest through above described link will be brought into the position 234' and 238' respectively.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in full lines is limited by an abutment of the slider 282 against a stop collar 286 secured to the guiding rod 218 as shown in Fig. 8. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair shown in dash-and-dot lines is limited by an abutment of the slider 282 against another stop collar 288 secured to the guiding rod 218.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position by means of the locking device 258.

The concealed arrangement of the shiftable and slidable connection 218, 282 within the hollow portion of the top link 246 results in a neat appearance of the chair.

The. adjustable reclining chair shown in Fig. 10 is equipped with a support 320 of substantially the same construction as the support 220 of the chair shown in Fig. '1.

The lower end of the back-rest 330 is pivoted to the support 320 at 332 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 336 between the seat 334 and'the support 320. A front link 342 is pivoted to the seat 334 at 34I and is further pivoted to the top link 346 at 344. The rear portionof the top link 346 is pivoted to the back-rest 330 at 348. Said top link 346 has a forward extension 368, hollow in part, which extends beyond the pivotal connection 344 between the top link 346 and the front link 342. A shiftable connection between the forward extension 368 of the top link 346 and the support 320 is arranged within the hollow portion of said forward extension 368. Said shiftable connection comprising a guiding rod 318 secured to the forward extension 363 of the top link 346 and a slider 382 swingably mounted on the support 320 corresponds substantially to the construction of a shiftable connection shown in Fig. 8.

The front link 342 has a downward extension 330 projecting beyond its pivotal connection 34I with the seat 334. One end of a controlling link 392 is pivoted to said downward extension 398 at 394, the other end of said controlling link 352 is pivotally gonnected at 396 with a leg-rest 338 swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat at 348. Thus, the movements of the leg-rest 338 are controlled by the controlling link 392 in dependence on the movements of the front link 342.

When the back-rest 330 is swung about its pivot 332 into a reclined position shown in dashand-dot lines, the seat 334 and the legr-rest .338 are brought into the position likewise shown in dash-and-dot lines 'in Fig. 10.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in full lines is limited by an abutment of the slider 382 against a stop collar secured to the left-hand end of the guiding rod 318 corresponding to the arrangement of the stop collar 286 shown in Fig. 8. The extreme reclined position of the movable members of the chair shown in dash-and-dot lines'in Fig. is limited by an abutment of the slider 382 against a stop collar 388 secured :to the right-hand end of the guiding rod 318.

The movable members of the chair may be held in any desired position by means of the locking device 358.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, and that various omissions, or changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for the elements shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example, many other types of shiftable and slidable connections may be used instead of the shiftable and slidable connections between the support and the top link shown in the drawings.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said backrest and said support, a front link, a toplink arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, and a shiftable connection betweensaid support and said top link.

2. A reclining article of furniture,comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, and sliding means arranged on said support and said top link for cooperation with each other.

3. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top ilink arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of :said back-rest, and a stationary cam arranged on said support for slidable engagement with'said top link.

4. Areclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from thepivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, said top link having a slot, and a stationary cam arranged on said support'for slidable engagement with said slot.

5. Areclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a lback-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at :a point spaced from the pivotal connection'between said backrestand said support,a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said frontlink being pivoted to said top link, the rear portionof said top link being pivoted-toan intermediate point of said backrest,a shiftable connection between said support and said top link, and a stop arranged for cooperation with said shiftable connection soas to limit an extreme position of the movable members of the article.

6. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, aback-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between saidback-rest and said support, a front link, atop link arranged above the planeof said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, a stationary cam arranged on said support for slidable engagement with said top link, and a stop mounted on said top link for cooperation with said cam-so as to limit'an extreme position of the movable-members of the article.

'7. A reclining article of furniture,.comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced'from the pivotal connection between said back-Prest and said support, a front 1ink,-a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, said top link having a forward extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the front link, and a shiftable connection between said support and said forward extension of the'front link.

8. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to saidsupport at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, .a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat,'the.lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion .of said front link being pivoted to said top Ilink, .theLrear portion of said stop link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, said top link having a forward extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the front link, said top link being provided with a slot in said forward extension thereof, and a stationary cam arranged on said support for slidable engagement with said slot.

9. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being ivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, said top link having a sliding surface, and a stationary cam arranged on said support for slidabl engagement with said sliding surface of the top link.

10. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, guiding means arranged on said top link, and a slider arranged on said support for sliding engagement with said guiding means, said slider being swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections of the support with the back-rest and the seat for swinging movements about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of said guiding means.

11. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of sad seat being pivoted to said support ata point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, at least a portion of said top link'being hollow and having an aperture at its lower side, guiding means arranged within said hollow portion of the top link, and a slider arranged on said support for slidable engagement with said guiding means, said slider being swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections of the support with the back-rest and the seat for swinging movements about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of said guiding means.

12. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of sa d top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, a guiding rod mounted on said top link, and a slider arranged on said support for slidable engagement with said guiding rod, said slider being swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections of the support with the back-rest and the seat for swinging movements about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of said guiding rod.

13. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, at least a portion of said top link being hollow and having an aperture at its lower side, a guiding rod arranged within said hollow portion of the top link, and a slider arranged on said support for slidable engagement with said guiding rod, said slider being swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections of the support with the back-rest and the seat for swinging movements about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of said guiding rod.

14. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, guiding means arranged on said top link, a slider arranged on said support for slidable engagement with-said guiding means, said slider being swingably mounted on said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connections of the support with the back-rest and the seat for swinging movements about an axis crossing the longitudinal axis of said guiding means, and a stop mounted on said top link for cooperation with said slider so as to limit an extreme position of the movable members of the article.

15. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper portion of said front link being pivoted to said top link, the rear portion of said top link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest, and a shiftable connection between said support and an intermediate portion of said top link between the pivotal connections of the latter with the front link and the back-rest.

16. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a back-rest pivoted to said support, a seat, the rear portion of said seat being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said back-rest and said support, a front link, a top link arranged above the plane of said seat, the lower portion of said front link being pivoted to the front portion ANTON LORENZ.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,283 Lorenz Sept. 19, 1939 2,195,091 Lorenz Mar. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,725 Great Britain Apr. 19, 1887 105,850 Australia Nov. 15, 1938 

